One More Day, I Wish We had
by AshieMac1985
Summary: Thor is wandering around Oslo remembering the good old Viking days when he sees a clearly not dead Loki playing with some kids in the park. Um...what? Not dead AND with kids, Thor needs to investigate. The tale Loki tells of how they wound up there is sad, but maybe he's a little happier for seeing his not-brother.
1. Prologue

Hi guys! I have most of this story written on paper (old school, right?) but getting it typed and posted might take me awhile because I'm sick and looking at my computer for extended times makes it worse.

To say that Thor was surprised to see Loki sitting on a park bench in Oslo after watching him die in Svartalfheim was an understatement.

Slowly he approached the bench and sat down- leaving space between himself and his not-brother (whom he still thought of as a brother). Whatever the welcome he was expecting from Loki, it wasn't the one he got.

"Hello, Thor." Loki said quietly with no surprise or malice in his voice, "What brings you to Norway? I thought you'd be with Jane."

"I was…she's traveling for work so I thought I'd come visit our old stomping grounds…sure is different without the Vikings." He paused before going on. "What brings _you_ here?"

It was a single question that contained many others- most of all 'why aren't you dead?'.

Before Loki could answer, and he was going to do so, a small blonde toddler ran over and crawled into his lap, silently presenting him with a scarlet maple leaf. Loki took it with a gentle smile, one Thor had never seen before. "Thank you, munchkin, it's lovely. Are you keeping an eye on your brother?"

She nodded before pointing at Thor and looking up at Loki questioningly.

"That's your uncle Thor, dear. Why don't you go get your brother and I'll introduce you both?"

She nodded again and was gone in a flash of blonde hair in the autumn sunlight- off to collect her little brother.

Thor stared after her, "What…?"

Loki chuckled, "They're my children and _no_, I didn't steal them."

The girl came back holding the hand of a chubby dark haired boy.

"Thor, this is Rilla, my daughter- she's almost four, and this is Sten, my son- he's ten months old. Children, this is your uncle Thor."

Rilla smiled and waved, while Sten babbled something unintelligible and chewed on his shirt collar.

Thor managed to smile and say hello, but he was stunned.

Four years, he thought- doing the math in his head. That mean Rilla was born around Loki's fall from the Bifrost. And no one had seemed to know about her. And Sten, at ten months would have been born during Loki's imprisonment on Asgard for his attack on New York. Who was their mother?

Loki could see the question forming and cut Thor off before he could ask it. "I'll tell you later, this isn't the place and it's nap time for these two anyway."

Rilla made a face, making it clear she felt being almost four made her too old for naps. Sten, on the other hand, had already crawled into Thor's lap and fallen asleep.

Loki picked up Rilla and stood, leading the way back to their small but clean apartment. Thor followed, keeping an eye on the boy in his arms. Once home, Loki told Thor to make himself comfortable while Loki put the kids down for their nap.

He was back in ten minutes, a beer in each hand for them and sat down on the couch.

"Who was she? There's clearly no woman living here, though it is a home." Thor asked after taking a drink.

Smarter than I remember, Loki mused silently. "Her name was Ingrid and she was my wife."

Something about the name Ingrid clicked in Thor's mind.

"The blacksmith's daughter father forbade you from seeing years ago?"

Loki shrugged, "We were in love, I wasn't going to let father's high and mighty attitude keep us apart."

Thor looked confused.

"I see I'll have to start from the beginning. It's a long story, and not a very happy one."


	2. The Beginning

They'd met as children entirely by accident when playing out in a field unsupervised and had remained fast friends over the years.

She'd stuck by him through all the pain Thor, his friends and Odin put him through. As far as Loki was concerned, she was perfect- though that didn't spare her being the victim of his mostly harmless pranks.

Ingrid Brundottir was a commoner- the daughter of an Asgardian blacksmith and his homemaker wife and the eldest of three girls. That didn't matter to Loki at all, but it did matter to Odin. The mighty king had watched with growing alarm as their friendship blossomed into first romance. Odin summoned both of them to his magnificent throne room (the effect was greater on Ingrid) and forbid them then and there to ever see each other again.

Loki put up such a fight that it took a threat from Odin to turn Ingrid mortal and banish her to Midgard to shut him up. The thought of his beloved living a short hard life among mortals and then dying was more than he could risk.

It was only intersession from Frigga that stopped Odin's threats entirely. She made an angry Loki and very frightened Ingrid promise to cease courting immediately. They swore, but already Loki thought of the loopholes in their oath.

Frigga didn't expect them to keep their word, nor would she hold it against them- but even she didn't know what they did next. And, technically, they did keep their word.

They were no longer courting.

As soon as Odin was no longer paying attention to them, they sneaked to another realm and were married in secret.

Every night that he could sneak away to visit his new wife, he did. Loki had bought a small cottage tucked away in the thick Asgardian forest. Luckily, Loki was known to all as a loner and a wanderer and paid him no mind. Odin assumed his every command was being followed and turned a blind eye once more on his youngest son.

They lived in peace and happiness for years, though Loki's days in the palace became harder. Ingrid was his rock- no matter what anyone said or did she kept him sane.

And then Odin chose Thor over Loki to be king.

"Well, you know what happens next." Loki sighed softly. "Despite finding out I was the monster in her childhood stories, Ingrid stayed with me and tried to help me adjust. Gave me a hard time about the destruction, though."

Thor arched a brow. "You tried to destroy Jotunheim, me, the Warriors, Sif, part of New Mexico and forced me to actually destroy the Bifrost. Destruction is putting it mildly." There was no accusation in Thor's voice, it was more something like resigned amusement.

Loki shrugged and continued on, "Rilla was born after my fall. I knew Ingrid was due soon and went to mother. I knew she'd keep Ingrid and the baby safe from Odin and my enemies. Mother told me once that helping Ingrid through the birth and caring for Rilla at the cottage helped her get through my 'death'."

Loki stared out the window as a rainstorm moved in, "It meant, also, that Ingrid didn't have to mourn me in complete secrecy…the women in my life don't fare well…"

Thor wanted to argue that that wasn't true, but they both knew it was.

Instead, he placed a large warm hand on Loki's thin shoulder, "At least they had each other and Rilla was in good hands. Mother kept all this from father."

It wasn't really a question, both men knew that behind closed doors Frigga was the one in charge of everything and everyone- including Odin.

Loki nodded, getting up to check on his sleeping children when he heard Sten make noise. "I'll be right back."


	3. The Descent

Loki returned, having settled Sten back to sleep, with two fresh beers in his hands. Thor sat drinking and thinking over all he'd learned so far. Ingrid, was in for the long haul with Loki and, as Thor well knew, that meant pain.

"She's not here." Thor stated out of the blue.

"No, but we'll get to that when we have to…" Loki replied, his voice somewhat brittle- an unusual thing.

Thor remembered that Sten was only ten months old, the wound of Ingrid's mysterious absence was fresh- however it was inflicted.

"Did I ever tell you about meeting Thanos?"

Apparently, it was make bold statements out of the blue time. Wonderful.

The blonde god actually flinched at the sound of the name. "No…do you want to?"

"He knew everything about me." Loki carried on, ignoring Thor's question. "That I was a Frost Giant, how I hated you and Odin and how I loved Mother, Ingrid and Rilla. First, though, he tried torture to bend me to his will. Heat and fire- I never knew you could do so much with one simple element…When that didn't work he threatened my family with punishments I still cannot bear to think about. The things he was willing to do to a defenseless infant…I thought I could have it both ways, protect my family and use Thanos- rather than be used. But once he was in my mind, there was no question of who had the upper hand. The only thing that stopped me was your clever Black Widow using my own staff to close the portal."

It was if a dam had burst and, for the first time since he was a child, Loki couldn't stop talking. Not that Thor minded.

Loki took a long swig of his beer, needing time to recover himself from the memories of Thanos and the peril his family had been in. He still had nightmares.

"Before the invasion I managed to sneak into Asgard and see Ingrid once more. Thanos was still playing nice and left my mind for the brief time Ingrid and I had together. She was equally furious and overjoyed to see me. I got to visit with her, peek in on my sleeping daughter and then I had to go again. To Midgard…

"I knew nothing more of my family until I was imprisoned in the palace after you dragged me back from New York. Mother appeared to tell me I had a son. I had no idea Ingrid had fallen pregnant from our last meeting…"

It'd been a massive shock when he found out he had a son. Guilt at having missed the birth of both his children and leaving Ingrid practically alone mixed with relief and happiness that they were all doing well.

"And then everything went wrong…" Loki's voice fully cracked for the first time since he'd started telling his story to his not-brother.

"I told him to take the stairs…I sent him to mother…"

Thor didn't need to be told who Loki was speaking of, he knew instantly. "You didn't send him on purpose- Mother wouldn't blame you." he consoled.

"The last thing I told her was that she wasn't my mother…I was still so angry…"

Loki managed to choke back the sob that threatened to escape him as Thor, with no words to ease his not-brother's grief, hugged him for the first time since they were children. Loki didn't resist, why fight what he actually wanted?


	4. The Attack

**Author note: I just want to say thanks for reading, rating, reviewing…putting up with me and my silly little story. It makes getting through my work day and illness a bit easier knowing I get to come home and maybe make you happier (or sadder as the case may be with this story). I appreciate each and every one of you.**

Once Loki'd managed to recover himself, and disentangle himself from his not-brother, he soldiered on through the telling of his little family's story. Starting with the Dark Elf attack on Asgard.

He was so busy mourning and avenging his mother that Loki made the mistake of assuming his family was safe in their little cottage in the woods.

When, in fact, they weren't in the forest at all. Ingrid had gathered the children- Sten only an infant, and headed to the city to seek more reliable shelter than the cottage.

Loki was on Svartalfheim, ironically faking his death, when it happened.

Ingrid ran through the chaotic streets, Sten clutched to her chest with one arm, Rilla hanging on to the other. They were one hundred meters from safety when a Dark Elf came out of nowhere and started to attack.

Rilla screamed when faced with what she now thought of as a monster. Ingrid thrust Sten into his sister's arms and told her to run as she moved between the Dark Elf and her children. Not that she thought she could beat him, the daughter of a blacksmith was no match for a well-trained and blood thirsty Dark Elf. No, she just wanted to buy them some time to get to safety. A mother's love is boundless and fierce and cares nothing for itself if sacrifice means her children live.

Rilla took Sten and ran as instructed, taking shelter nearby- expecting her mother to join them shortly. She watched in horror as her mother, the only constant source of love and compassion she'd ever known was brutally slain in front of her. She cried out without meaning to, giving their safe hiding spot away. As the Dark Elf, covered in Ingrid's blood, advanced on them, Rilla realized her mistake and vowed to every god she knew the name of to never say anything again if only they could be saved.

It was then that Volstagg appeared, fending off the attack and scooping the children up into his large arms. Kindly, child loving, Volstagg took the toddler and infant home to his wife and brood to tend to before taking them to the orphanage. One that was fit to overflow with new orphans thanks to the attack.

After faking his death, Loki sneaked back to Asgard in disguise to tell Odin that he was dead. After that errand was over he headed straight to the cottage only to find it worryingly empty.

He combed the city, in disguise still, looking for any sign of his wife and children. With each lead coming up empty he was both buoyed with the hope that they were alive and tormented with fear equally as strong that they were all dead.

His fear won out when he found poor butchered Ingrid lying in a makeshift morgue, a bloody white sheet draped over her head. Loki sat with her, stroking her beautiful blonde hair and weeping over her fate until the attendants had to force him to leave. There was no sign of his children, but with both his mother and Ingrid gone- who was left to protect them. Overcome with grief he assumed the worst for his children. Images of their broken little bodies haunted him whether he was asleep or awake.

He found that he could not bear to leave the city he'd so desperately wanted out of only a few days ago. Loki stayed behind and wandered the battle torn streets. Every corner turned presented him with a memory that was once happy, but now made him ache with longing for the old days. He'd faked his death twice, but now he truly wanted to die.


	5. The Aftermath

**Author's note: I'm so sorry I've been gone so long, lovelies. I got sick again and then it was Christmas and then got sick again. I'm alright now, though work may wear me out too much to post for a week or two. Rate and review if you wish. Any suggestions given about the future plot will be considered though the story is more or less written already.**

It was only chance that a depressed and disguised Loki saw Rila and Sten one morning. Rila was sat on the front step of the orphanage, dressed in a threadbare set of rags. Sten was sitting in her lap, naked but for the rag tied round his waist. Neither looked healthy or happy.

Rila, now careworn and grieving at such a tender age, looked up warily when Loki approached. All strangers were suspect now. And dangerous.

Loki crouched down, tears in his eyes, and smiled at them. "Hello darlings. How's my little nightingale doing? Any songs for Daddy?"

Rila's eyes widened in surprise, only her father had ever called her that. She shook her head, though, still unable to speak after all she'd seen.

"Daddy's going to get you both out of here, but you mustn't let on that you know me." he counselled them. Not that a mute toddler and an infant were going to do much damage.

It didn't take long for "Gunnar Stormson" to adopt the siblings. He had all the right papers and a character testimony from a respected official in the city. All fake, of course, but they served a purpose and the orphanage officials were practically giving children away at that point.

A few days later and they were on Midgard trying to start a new life.

Once free of prying eyes, Loki reverted to his Asgardian form with no small amount of relief. Rila wrapped her thin arms around his neck and would not be parted from Loki for anything. Her silent tears nearly re-broke his slowly mending heart.

Loki had tearfully explained to them that Mumma and Grandmother had gone away to Valhalla to live and wouldn't be coming back. His assurances that they would meet again in Valhalla some time in the distant future did little to comfort poor little Rila. She knew her mother hadn't gone away- not like Loki was talking, at any rate.

Sten was, thankfully, too young to understand what death was and why his mother was not with them. Rila, though also considered too young to understand by polite society, did understand and understand all too well. She was terrified to let Loki or Sten out of her sight- convinced that she'd never see them again if she did.

His time from then on was devoted to his children- making them as comfortable as he could in their new home, assuaging their fears and nursing them back to health.

"She still has nightmares...and hasn't said a single word since she watched Ingrid die. Loki sighed sadly. "She even cries silently- no matter how hurt or scared she is. At least I can be out of her sight and she'll usually sleep in her own bed- that alone is a giant step forward for her. She doesn't act like a child should...Sten won't remember anything of Asgard or the attack, but he also won't remember his mother or grandmother."

Loki was barely holding it together- he'd had a lot of practice "staying strong" for his children. Thor had been in tears for some five minutes already.

"They're lucky to have you, their mother and our mother watching over them." the Thunderer managed. "I've seen men on the battlefield similarly struck dumb by the carnage. Rila will recover in time."

Loki nodded, accepting his not-brother's comforting words without one of his usual scowls or comebacks.

"You live here now? In Oslo?" Thor prompted, not wanting the conversation, however painful, to end just in case Loki shut him back out.

"We do. I got a job at the local university teaching Norse mythology."

Thor couldn't help but chuckle. "Fitting."

Loki nodded again, a frown creasing his brow, and asked the question that had been rattling round his brain since Thor had found them.

"You won't tell Odin about us, will you?"


	6. The Turn

**Author's note: Sorry I vanished again! I haven't written much past this chapter, so if there's something you want to see- let me know. As always, comments and feedback are very much appreciated.**

Thor looked a bit startled, almost as if he'd forgotten about his father.

"Of course not. I wouldn't give you up to him again- not knowing all of this. Not when you have your children to care for and valid reasons for doing what you did."

Loki nodded his thanks and relaxed his tense muscles as he sank back down onto the couch.

"But I will tell Jane- Relax. She can help you when I'm back on Asgard." Thor added as he watched Loki tense up again. "Wouldn't it be nice to know you're not alone on this Realm?"

"Yes…but break it to her gently- giving her our location last." Loki bargained.

"Alright. It's nice to see you haven't lost your edge for strategic planning." Thor smirked.

Loki laughed- a slightly broken sound due to how little he'd laughed of late (unless it was for his children's sakes).

Thor laughed as well, not his usual loud bark of a laugh, but a quiet one so as not to wake the new editions to his little family.

All too soon it was time for Thor to leave. He had errands to do and Jane to call and check in on. He looked in on his sleeping niece and nephew- Rilla had an arm draped protectively across her little brother. Thor embraced his brother and promised to come back the next day for a visit with him and the children.

*Time Skip*

Thor kept his word about visiting and about telling Jane. Thankfully, she wasn't one to punish the children for the (understandable) sins of their father. Soon, all of them- Jane included, were spending time together. Loki was happy that Rilla liked her- the girl needed a female influence in her life.

One of their favourite things to do together was to leave the city and head to the fiords for a hike.

Thor carried Sten, who was looking at everything with wonder filled, and Rilla held Jane's hand as they walked. Loki felt a bit odd not having to keep such a close eye on his children as he had in the past- Thor had been right, it was nice to know he wasn't alone anymore.

His attention was caught by something metal glinting in the sunlight through the trees. It wasn't until they rounded a bend in the path that he saw what it was.

Saw who it was.

Odin.

Loki froze in shock, Jane picked Rilla up and backed away from Odin and Thor handed Sten to Loki so he (Thor) could stand between his father and his family.

"Father, you have no business here." Thor stated before being hushed- not by Odin, but by Loki.

"Hold your tongue, Thor. We all knew this would happen sooner or later. I was hoping for later…" Loki sighed. "Odin, I assume the all-knowing Heimdall has told you my story?"

Odin nodded silently, willing to see where this went.

"Then all I ask is that you leave my children alone, no matter what you have planned for me."

"Loki, no! You're not going anywhere- most of all back to Asgard with _him_." Thor protested.

Odin scowled at Thor and took a step towards them.

Loki handed Sten back to Thor. "Daddy loves you both more than anything. Be good for your Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane." To Thor: "Keep them safe. Love them…At least I _might_ see Ingrid again."

At the mention of her beloved mother's name, everything clicked in little Rilla's head- daddy was going to die because her grandfather was a monster and grandmother wasn't there to stop him.

She leaped from Jane's arms and ran toward Odin. Banging her tiny fists on his armoured shin with more force than expected from such a small girl, she spoke for the first time since her mother had died. Shrieked, actually.

"I HATE YOU! I hate you I hate you! Go away! Leave Daddy alone! I HATE YOU!"

Loki was overjoyed to hear her speak, but deeply saddened to hear such hate come from his little girl.

Gently, he picked her up and rocked her- ever the open and loving father Odin had never been, even to Thor.

"You mustn't hate, Rilla, my love. It will only make you sad, and Daddy doesn't want you to be sad."

"But you'll go away like Mumma."

Rilla's chubby lower lip trembled as she mentioned her mother and she burst into months' worth of pent up tears and pain.

Loki ignored Odin as he did everything to console Rilla. He rocked her and kissed her, and promised that no matter what he'd be keeping an eye on her and her brother- even from Valhalla, though he knew he had little chance of ending up there. Hel was where he was bound, he had no doubt.

"But why did she have to go to Valhalla?!" Rilla howled. "I want to go too!"

"No! No, darling. It's not your time yet. It wasn't Mumma's time either, but I wasn't there to protect her. That's my fault. But I'm here now and I can protect you and your brother."

Loki kissed her hair, weariness weighing on him. "I love you, Rilla. Be a good girl and remember- do not hate. Learn to forgive the people who hurt you. Be better than me. Kinder. Always be kind, the people who hurt you are the ones who need love the most."

He handed her back to Jane and then moved to kiss Sten. "Daddy's boy. My good boy. You won't remember me or your mother…but that may be best. I love you."

Loki looked at Thor, "I'm sorry. I hope you can remember me fondly when this is all over, Brother."

He gave Jane a small sad smile and a nod before turning to face Odin. "Let's go. Or is part of my punishment having my children see me cry?" Loki asked, on the verge of tears.

Odin surveyed the little group in front of him- expression unreadable.


	7. The Request

**Author's note: I was never going to kill Loki, this was always the plan- though had you all asked for something different you would have gotten it. Thanks for the lovely comments and reviews. Sorry it's short, I just didn't want to keep you beautiful people waiting.**

Odin cleared his throat and finally spoke.

"Loki, I came here to take you back to Asgard to be executed."

Loki showed no surprise, just weary regret.

Thor growled and thunder rumbled overhead, Jane looked heartbroken and Rilla sobbed into Jane's sweater. Sten still wasn't sure what was happening but stayed quiet- his usual smile gone.

Thor was about to protest when Odin held up a hand to command silence.

"But, it's obvious from what Heimdall tells me and from what I've seen here that you've changed. For the better. That's not to say you're blameless or that you won't have to pay a price for what you did, but I'll see to it that you and your children are kept safe from any that would do you harm."

Odin allowed emotion, mostly regret, to finally show on his face.

"Come home. Please, son?"

It was the closest thing to 'I love you, I'm sorry and I was wrong.' that Loki had ever heard come out of Odin's mouth in 1000 years. He still half expected something to go wrong as Odin's words slowly sank into his usually quick brain.

Not only would his children be safe, but his little family could return to the home he once thought he hated.

"…Okay. We'll return." Loki nodded.

Rilla once again freed herself from Jane's arms and ran to her father, clinging to him for dear life.

"You're not going away, right Daddy? Not without us. Not to Valhalla?"

"That's right, darling. We're staying together. All of us- Jane too." Loki added, glancing up at Odin.

Odin nodded his agreement and they were all transported instantly back to Asgard. Not to the gate and Heimdall but straight into Odin's private chambers in the Citadel.


End file.
